Jeremy Lin is not starting for the Hornets this season despite hope from some of his fans that he’d get a shot once Michael Kidd-Gilchrist got hurt. Lin is coming off the bench though, and loving the lack of spotlight.
“It’s been a great fit for me. I think Charlotte is definitely a little more low-key than some of the other cities I've played in,” Lin said. Lin previously played in New York, Houston and Los Angeles (Lakers), all big market cities, and all places where Lin faced tremendous scrutiny.
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In Charlotte, that’s been throttled back, and he is arguably the biggest name on the team. With the Hornets he has been welcomed, whereas in other stops, star players seemed to resent the attention he garnered. When Houston signed him away from the Knicks, Carmelo Anthony scoffed at his contract. During his lone season with the Lakers last year, he would get yelled at routinely on the court by Kobe Bryant.
Listening to Hornets point guard Kemba Walker now, there’s no hint of animosity or disdain.
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“We know how good of a player he is. He's really important to this team and he's a good dude, good to have around,” Walker said. He’s also getting the opportunity to improve as an all-around player. Lin is viewed primarily as a scorer, but head coach Steve Clifford’s praised his defense as well.
"It's been fun having him on this team and there's no doubt he can score in a variety of ways," Clifford said. "I also think his pick and roll defense and team defense are already good and he's bright and he's strong and he's got size and he can be a very good defender also. He's been a great addition for us."
So far Lin’s hot preseason shooting hasn’t translated to the regular season just yet. He’s only shot 33 percent from the field, and averaged 12 points. Lin has made 38.5 percent of his 3-pointers, however, and is getting to the foul line nearly five times a game. Even when he’s off, Lin feels like he is in a supportive situation where he can thrive.
“We play together and we play for each other. We sacrifice and play really unselfish and they are really good guys off the court. And we get along and it's just a really good culture."
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